Characters
Who is the main character of the novel?
Edna Pontellier
What state is Grand Isle located in?
Louisiana
"The voice of the sea is seductive..." What does the sea represent?
Freedom and escape.
What is the main theme of Edna's journey?
Self discovery and awakening.
What is the main activity that everyone does at Grand Isle?
Swimming.
What is Edna's husbands name?
Leonce Pontellier
What does the sea symbolize for Edna?
The awakening of her independency.
"Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman.." what does this say about Edna?
She rejects societies ideal of motherhood.
What theme is shown when Edna feels trapped by her husband?
Freedom Vs. Confinement
Who criticizes Edna for neglecting her children?
Leonce Pontiller.
Which character spends each summer flirting with married women at Grand Isle?
Robert Lebrun
What does the caged parrot at the start of the novel represent?
A woman's confinement in society.
“A certain light was beginning to dawn dimly within her…” What does the “light” symbolize?
New self awareness.
What theme is explored through Edna's growing attraction to Robert?
Desire and passion
What marks Edna's first real act of independence?
Her first successful swim.
Who represents the mother woman that Edna cannot relate to?
Madame Ratignolle
What does swimming symbolize for Edna?
Independence.
“She felt as if a mist had been lifted from her eyes.” What does this reveal about her emotions?
Clarity of her desires.
How does Chopin explore the idea of individual identity?
Edna questions her role as a mother that is given to her by society.
Why is there tension between Leonce and Edna?
Edna's emotional distance and disobedience towards Leonce.
Which character symbolizes Ednas future independence and artistic side?
Mademoiselle Reisz
What does Edna's sunburn after swimming suggest metaphorically?
The cost of awakening.
“She was becoming herself and daily casting aside that fictitious self…” What is happening to Edna?
She is transforming and rejecting the mask she puts up to fit into societal norms.
What theme is symbolized through the contrast between land and sea?
society vs. independence or control vs. freedom.
Why does Robert decide to go to Mexico?
Escaping his growing feelings for Edna.